My family of 4 moved to France. My child started school at age 3 and gets healthy meals for lunch.

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By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . You can opt-out at any time by visiting our Preferences page or by clicking "unsubscribe" at the bottom of the email. Access your favorite topics in a personalized feed while you're on the go. download the app Sign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. Read preview This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Phil Coley. It has been edited for length and clarity. My wife, Kristi, and I were inspired to move to France after watching a documentary about British people who'd relocated there. At the time, we rented a two-bedroom home in a sought-after area with high real estate prices. We realized we couldn't afford the type of place we wanted because it would have cost around $260K. This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers. Become an Insider and start reading now. So, in 2017, we bought a four-bedroom fixer-upper in the north-west of France for $29K. Kristi, 38, lived in a tent during the start of the renovations, and I visited every two months to help. I fully transferred in 2020. Advertisement We're in a rural location close to Limoges, which has an airport. It's served by a low-cost airline, and, depending on the time of year, we can fly back to the UK for just $29 round trip. Our family — we have two kids, Alicia, 3, and 18-month-old Haydn — is very happy. Meanwhile, the price of our property — now that it's renovated — has increased to between $215K and $260K. But, finances aside, we can't imagine going back to the UK. Here are three pros and just one con about ex-pat life in France. The French are friendly — but you need to make an effort with their language It's important to try at least to speak some French, even if you get it wrong. In my experience, French people appreciate visitors and ex-pats who try to communicate and respect the culture. Advertisement Some ex-pats do themselves no favors by thinking, "Everyone speaks English, so why bother?" Related stories It can be hard to understand colloquialisms and the local patois. But, if we trip up, it usually ends with a laugh. Family comes first The French don't live to work. They believe spending as much time as possible with family is essential. In August, everything pretty much shuts down. Workplaces close — apart from essential services — and people go on vacation en masse. Advertisement It's usually four weeks of lovely weather, and the campgrounds, hotels, and B&Bs are often full. One of the most popular types of vacation is touring around in an RV. Practically every town and village has a motorhome stopover spot. You stay there for free. The idea is that people will buy something from the local stores, and it will generate business. Kids start school at 3 The education system in France is superior. There are public schools for 3-year-olds, who must be potty trained at that age. The authorities believe adamantly in early education. Alicia goes to school between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. No academics, and formal classes don't start until the children are 7. Advertisement It's well-known that the French love their cuisine. Alicia is served a healthy, four-course lunch at school. It's far more convenient for parents, and she loves it. There's a lot of bureaucracy The French like everyone to have a job. It's one of the reasons that a large proportion of the population works in the public sector. The downside is that you will never deal with one person. They'll say they must pass things on to a colleague, then another colleague, and so on. Filling out paperwork for a driver's license or passport is laborious and involves a lot of red tape. Advertisement Personally, I've also found that some people dislike online forms and email for official applications. Sometimes, they prefer handwritten or typed paperwork you must print out before sending it. You can wait months for an answer but keep being fobbed off. Eventually, they will say they've lost the forms. And you have to start all over again. Do you have an interesting story about living away from your native country that you'd like to share with Business Insider? Please send details to jridley@businessinsider.com.